Houthi Drone Strike Hits Yavne, Israel, in Show of Support for Gaza
Yemen’s Houthi group claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the Israeli city of Yavne on Monday, asserting it was a “specific military operation” in support of Palestinians in Gaza, Al Jazeera reports.
The attack, which caused damage to a building but resulted in no reported injuries, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.
The Houthis, in a statement, declared their forces had struck “a sensitive target of the Israeli enemy,” claiming the operation “achieved its objective” without elaborating on specifics. Israeli military sources confirmed that a drone hit a building in Yavne, attributing the success to a failure of air defense systems to detect the incoming drone. An investigation into this failure is underway.
Israeli media reported damage to several apartments in the targeted building. The Houthis explicitly linked the attack to Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has caused devastating casualties and widespread destruction, labeling it a series of “massacres.” They vowed to continue attacks against Israel until the conflict in Gaza ends.
This attack follows a pattern of Houthi actions targeting Israeli interests, including strikes on shipping lanes in the Red Sea. The Iran-backed group has also launched previous missile and drone attacks directly at Israel. Despite military efforts by a US-led coalition and Israel itself to curtail Houthi activity, these attacks persist.
Monday’s drone strike is particularly noteworthy given the recent ceasefire in Lebanon, ending weeks of intense conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, brokered on November 27th, had raised questions about the continuation of the “support front” for Gaza. However, the Houthi attack demonstrates that the broader campaign against Israel continues.
Both the Houthis and Hezbollah are considered part of the Tehran-led “Axis of Resistance.” While Hezbollah’s attacks ceased under the terms of the Lebanon ceasefire, the Houthis’ actions underscore the continued challenge to Israel from multiple fronts. The truce with Hezbollah includes stipulations for Hezbollah to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River and dismantle military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen, with over 44,700 deaths reported, many of them women and children. The Israeli offensive has caused massive displacement and widespread destruction, leaving over 100,000 injured, according to health authorities in Gaza. International organizations, including the United Nations and Amnesty International, have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
